American Girl, English Boy
by Flightless Bird American Mouth
Summary: She leaves rainy Washington to study in London and finds a little more than she expected. But who's complaining? Language/Canon Pairings/All Human.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: All characters belong to Stephenie Meyer.**

**A/N: This is my first attempt at writing a Fanfic and I'm really enjoying it. I know I'm not very good but it's something I've always wanted to do, so I figured I might as well see what other people think of it. I've written some of the chapters already but I want to see if people like it before I post more. This is not going to be perfect but I'm a novice and it's a Fanfic so please don't be too harsh; however your critique on the story is greatly appreciated! It would be utterly awesome if you took the time to review and put the story on alert. If you do that, I promise to love you forever. I rated this M mostly for the language but who knows where it will take us in terms of lemons ;D. I'm so scared to see what you guys think of it. Okay, long ass author's note over, I'll see you at the bottom…**

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CHAPTER ONE (BPOV)

_"I think God, in creating man, somewhat overestimated his ability" – Oscar Wilde_

He was wearing black authentic Vans, dark skinny jeans and a fashionably-too-big white tee. He had untidy hair in the most extraordinary bronze, brown with a hint of copper; messy like he'd been constantly running his hands through it, slightly untamed and a little wild. Very sexy. My eyes scanned him from head to toe - more times than publicly acceptable - in the amount of time it took him to walk towards me. Somewhere in my mind, I know this must be a dream.

He stopped about two feet away from me and I finally looked at his face. His body had been distracting me; the tight jeans left little to the imagination and his well muscled arms were clearly on display to make girls like me drool at the sight of them. But his face, oh my god. He had devastatingly beautiful lips, plump but not too thick, the kind I wanted to ravish all day for the rest of my life. His cheekbones and nose were angular and straight, his jaw was chiselled with just the right amount of stubble. He could have been a model for Dior or Hugo Boss. And then finally I looked at his eyes. They were the most perfect shade of jade green, shiny and dazzling and penetrating and intriguing. They were framed with thick black lashes and one of his perfect eyebrows was raised.

It was then that I realised this wasn't a dream.

He's asking me a question. And waiting for my response.

Shit. I'd just been stood here gawking at this beautiful God-like creature while he was trying to talk to me. I willed my brain to organise my jumbled thoughts and snapped my mouth shut. Fuck, I hope I wasn't drooling. I shake my head to gain control of myself.

"I'm sorry…what?" I managed to stumble over my words, reinforcing to him that I was either clinically insane or mentally incompetent.

"Do you want any help?" he replied in the most velvety liquid gold voice I've ever heard. Good god, it's like audio porn!

"Um, sure" My voice went up at the end and made it sound like a question. Which in theory is true because I have no fucking idea what he's going on about. Crap, that's when I remembered where I was. I wasn't in heaven and I wasn't asleep. I was in the supermarket trying to reach a box of chocolates on the top shelf. My short arse legs don't allow me to be tall enough; I'd need 7" heels and a step ladder. Okay maybe not, but you get the idea. This God however is a good six feet tall. Six foot of pure sex, the things I would do to him. His lips are extremely inviti…

"Which one was it that you wanted?" he asks me, pulling me out of my musings and taking a step closer. If I reach my arm out, I could rake my fingers down his undoubtedly defined chest…

"The, er, Thornton's" I'm quite pleased I managed to say an almost coherent sentence. He reaches up so that his sexy as fuck arm is right over my head. He gets the chocolates down, hands them to me and says,

"Are they for anyone special?" Oh shit, I can't exactly tell the male Adonis that they for my movie night turned solitary pity party can I? Why'd Alice and Angela have to ditch on me?!

"They're, um, they're for my, er, movie night" A half truth is better than a lie right? Probably not. He raises his perfectly carved eyebrows. Great he's figured me out. Once again my attempt at covering up the truth has failed. Excellent.

"Well, have a great night" He smiles, an enchanting smile, friendly and warm. It's sexy in a kind of innocent way and it makes my knees go weak and my ovaries ache. What I would do to just be able to take this fine specimen of a human back to my now vacant apartment and have my way with him. His phone rings and pulls me out of my fantasies.

"Thanks for the, er..." I motion to the chocolates in my hand "Um, yeah, thank you" I smile and I can feel the heat of a blush rising in my cheeks so I escape to the pizza isle.

I get a medium pizza with my favourite toppings and extra cheese. Hell, I might as well go all out, so I go and get two tubs of Ben & Jerry's, because one flavour is just not enough, and a bag of chocolate chip cookies. I'm walking to the checkout when I see the Pringles…hmm, I'll get some of these as well. I end up buying way too much food for one person and I'm struggling to carry the bags up the stairs to my apartment. But who cares because I will have a freaking awesome time in front of the flat screen tonight.

Throughout the rest of the evening, all I can think about is the walking sex God that spoke to me today. I'm in my shared apartment, alone because everyone else has a social life, and I'm on the comfy couch, snuggled in the plaid blanket, munching on all the goodies I bought earlier. I should probably be concerned about turning into an obese whale but hey, cookies and ice cream is just too good to turn down. I'm trying to concentrate on watching Romeo and Juliet, the latest one with Leonardo DiCaprio, but I have to keep pausing and rewinding because my thoughts are being clouded with all the things I would like to do to that sexy mother fucker. He's not human, it's impossible for someone to be so beautiful. In that brief less-than-two minute encounter he made my insides flutter and my heart race. I felt like I'd been electrocuted, but in a good way. Not an 'I'm-going-to-die-right-fucking-now-this-so-painful' way. He made me tingle and ache down there where I wanted him the most. God, Rosalie is right. I've been out of action for too fucking long. But, being the optimist that I am, the bright side of my supermarket encounter is that I'm going to be having pretty awesome dreams tonight.

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**A/N: Once again, I would be so happy if you leave a review. Please tell me what you think, good? Bad? Too short? I won't be offended if you think it's crap :') Thank you for reading!**

**Love Emily x**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: All the characters belong to Stephenie Meyer.**

**A/N: Hope you enjoy this chapter. A little more background in this one :) **

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CHAPTER TWO (BPOV)

_"Insanity is doing the same thing, over and over again, but expecting different results" – Albert Einstein _

I think I've gone crazy. I am officially insane. For the past week, every single one of my thoughts is about _him_. My fantasies are getting more and more erotic every friggin' day; my imagination is having a field trip with this development. My thoughts, once again, have wandered over to his well muscled arms and hands. His big, talented hands that could do wonderful things to me.

I feel as though I've been drifting in dreamland all week, I have had some of the best night's sleep I've ever had since arriving in London over 9 months ago. I dress in a daze; throwing on a pair of skinnies, a thin knit vest and a pair of chucks, it's getting close to summer so I can go without big ass coats and annoying jumpers. I eat my usual breakfast cereal; all the while daydreaming about the sex god. It's a very nice way to wake up and I seem to have made a habit of it.

This morning, I was out of the apartment before Angela had even stirred from her room and I arrived at my morning lecture over 20 minutes early. I play on my phone for a while, checking twitter and facebook. I have 42 notifications. Wow, someone just got extremely popular overnight. I cringe when I see that my mom has tagged me in loads of old photos. Oh God, twelve to fifteen years was so not a good age for me. My hair is scraped back into a tight pony on every photo, I hadn't discovered make up so my spots are like big red fucking sirens flashing all over my face and I've got the cheesiest grin despite the ridiculous brace that I had to wear. Gee, thanks for that mom. I can't say much about my clothes because I still dress the same; jeans - shorts in the summer - tees and sneakers. I've never cared too much about fashion, I dress for comfort; I don't follow trends or take interest in what celebrities are wearing. Alice, however, wants to throw away my wardrobe and play dress up with me every day. She's studying fashion and textiles, which is great for her because she's obsessed with all of that. But it's not so great for me when she needs someone to try out her designs or model while she alters. I'm crap at that sort of stuff. She's my best friend, though, so I suffer in silence.

I'm in my English Classics lecture and the professor is babbling on about God knows what. He's about 102 so I wouldn't be surprised if he was waffling about his cat or something. He can hardly stay stood up, bless him. I stopped listening to his prattle about, hmmm, maybe two minutes into the lecture. I now have just half an hour left before I meet Alice and Rose for lunch. I doodle idly in my note pad having not written a single word. Oops, no I'm lying, I've written "SEX" and underlined it. If someone glances over to my paper they sure as hell will know what's on my mind but not who it's about. Awkward. But I couldn't care less because right now my mind is the best fucking place in the world because all I can see is a beautiful man with perfect green eyes. If this is what it feels like to be crazy then, hell, why have I only just discovered insanity?! Lock me up in a padded cell, I will gladly sit and fantasise about the sex God all day.

The rest of the lecture passes by pretty quickly, especially with my new distraction. I turn the corner out of the university campus and find Alice and Rose talking animatedly just down the street outside the newsagents. I approach them, smile and say,

"Hey guys" I get a quick 'Hi' and a smile from each of them before they launch back into their conversation. I chuckle to myself; they can be so intense sometimes, once they get talking, no one is going to stop them. We begin to walk towards Starbucks and I try to follow what they are saying as best as I can. We arrive at my favorite coffee place and join the line to order. They eventually stop talking so I take my opportunity and say to Alice,

"You're talking about Jasper taking you to his parents, right? I'm guessing it went well?" Alice starts clapping and her smile widens so I can see every one of her perfect white teeth.

"Yes, yes, yes! Bella, it was so amazing! Jasper's parents are so lovely and sweet and they told me to come back any time I want!" She's like a hyperactive child, rushing over her words in a single breath.

"Wow, Ali, that's great!" I really was pleased for Alice. She and Jasper have been dating for well over a year, they're even considering moving in together soon. Jasper's parents have only just come back into town after living in Spain for a few years so Alice could only speak to them through phone calls or Skype. She was really nervous about meeting them face to face, considering how serious she and Jasper are.

"I'm just so happy they liked me, you know? Obviously, I've spoken to them but it's so different meeting them in person" She was literally beaming, I'm shocked she's not bouncing up and down and doing Hannah Montana's hoedown throw-down I know she knows that dance; she tried to teach me one night when we were all more than a little bit tipsy. I fell down a lot and we broke the glass vase on the coffee table. It was fucking hilarious.

We order our drinks and food and found a table. I get a Frappuccino and a pasta salad; Alice buys a Mocha and a deli sandwich, and Rose gets a Latte with a double shot and a Panini. We all get a cookie because they are awesome. Although not as awesome as Millie's Cookies, because they are the shit.

"So, Bella, did anything interesting happen to you over weekend?" Rosalie asks me, sipping at her Latte.

"Um, not really, not after Alice bailed on me" I shot her a mock glare across the table "I stayed in for the movie night anyway and then did my English papers" I leave out the part where I was drooling over a sex God.

"You need to get out more B"

"Yeah, she's right Bella, how long ago was it since you went out and got properly drunk?"

"Erm, your party last month. See that's not even that long ago" It was a fuck awesome party, we all got maybe got a tiny bit too drunk and played spin the bottle. Seeing Rose have to kiss Mike is possibly one of the funniest moments of my life, after the hoedown throwdown.

"That doesn't count, that was inside my house" She smirks at me "I mean properly go out, to a bar or a club" Aha, now I have a problem. In truth, the last time I went 'properly out' was at least four months ago, maybe more. I'm not a recluse; I go to restaurants and house parties all the time. I just don't necessarily go to places where there are lots of people I don't know. I have no idea why, maybe having a cop for a father has rubbed off on me and I'm on high alert for murderers and paedophiles.

"Ali, you know I'm not the clubbing type"

"You didn't answer my question" Damn, the pixie saw through my aversion.

"Well, um…er…"

"Okay, that's enough, we're all going out on Friday. No arguments" Rose chimes in, she gives me the don't-you-dare-even-think-about-protesting look. "It will be fun"

"Do I even have a choice?" I look between the two of them "okay, fine" I hold my hands up in defeat.

"Oh I'm so looking forward to this! We will be at your apartment at 7" Alice's voice has raised a couple of octaves in excitement. Dogs all over town will be standing to attention.

We finalise our plans for Friday night and talk easily about the past weekend. Of course, I had little to add to that conversation. We finished our food and coffees, said our goodbyes and I headed back to campus. Rosalie went back to her work placement; she's studying media and is doing work experience at the local TV studios. Alice goes her separate way to meet Jasper because she doesn't have any classes for the rest of the day. My final lecture drifts relatively quickly. Once again, when my mind is not occupied by talking, it wanders to a beautiful face with green eyes and a body that screams 'fuck me hard'.

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**A/N: Please review and put this story on alert if you like it!**

**Love Emily x**


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I don't own these characters. All rights belong to Stephenie Meyer.**

**A/N: What an update...already? :o Yeah I know, I'm updating quite quickly but I'm gonna try and upload once a week, probably Sunday nights, I just want to get the story going first, if you know what I mean? If you like it then please put me on alert/favourite/review, I love hearing what you think :) Enjoy!**

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CHAPTER THREE (BPOV)

"_I accept the hard reality that I maybe might possibly be just the slightest tiniest littlest bit kinda sorta interested in him" – Sarah Ockler (Twenty Boy Summer)_

The rest of the week comes and goes with nothing in particular happening. Angela invited Ben round to the apartment for dinner on Wednesday night, and that's about as far as my social life has stretched. I wake up on Friday morning and I have to admit, I'm getting just a little tiny bit excited for tonight. It has been like four months after all. Taking on an English/French joint degree has seriously stressed me out, I feel like I have no time to do anything apart from the necessary things to survive like eating and sleeping. It's a good feeling to know that I won't be worrying about deadlines and how to form a grammatically correct French paragraph with all the tenses included. For now though, that is exactly what I have to do because I have two lectures to get through, but I have my…interest to help me so it shouldn't be too bad. Yeah, I'm still hung up on that.

I make my way back to the apartment at the end of my day. Angela still has a lecture so the box we call a home is empty when I arrive. It's just after 2pm and I don't have to start getting ready for well over three hours, I grab my battered copy of Sense and Sensibility and get comfy on the couch, my back to the arm and my feet and legs stretched out on the other cushion. Angela comes home a little while later and we both make dinner together, something that has become a bit of a habit between us. We work in companionable silence, I chop the vegetables and she cooks them with the chicken. I grab the kettle, boil some water for the rice and ask her about her day.

"Yeah, it was good, we were in the labs so it was actually quite fun" She said with an enthusiastic smile on her face. Angela studies biology which means she is ridiculously clever; but she would never admit that.

"You sound surprised that you had a good class" I chuckle, Angela just laughs lightly and shrugs. She's a quiet soul like me, maybe that's why we get along so well, we're both like hermit crabs. We finish our cooking and sit to eat at the cramped table. That thing is no bigger than the chair I'm sitting on, seriously.

"So, I can't remember if I told you, but I'm going out tonight so you have the apartment to yourself" I tell Angela.

"Oh, yeah, you mentioned it, I invited Ben to come over" She checks her watch "Actually he should be here in a minute"

"Cool, well I'll be out at 7" When I finish my food, I wash my plate and cutlery before drying them and putting them away in the cupboard. It's a pain in the ass having to wash them sometimes, but we're both students so we can't really afford anything else, especially because it's just the two of us. Literally all of the furniture in this place came from Ikea and we spent like an entire week trying to build the damn things. We had to call Ben and Jasper to help us because there was no way we were going to be able to build a whole frigging wardrobe. I don't even want to think about the amount of trees we killed.

"I'm just gonna jump in the shower" I call over my shoulder as I head to the bathroom. While I'm in the little glass cubicle, I don't know why, but I feel compelled to shave _everywhere. _It's embarrassing to admit, but my bikini line has been rather neglected for quite a while now so I make sure that order is restored in that department. When my legs and underarms are silky smooth, and my hair and body is washed, I shut off the water and get out. I rub some Palmer's cocoa body butter onto my skin and wrap a towel around my hair. I wrap another towel around my body and walk across the hall from the steamy bathroom into my bedroom.

I have no idea what the fuck to wear so I just stand and stare at my wardrobe for a while. Well, underwear is a good place to start. I pull on some black panties and a matching bra then continue to stare. We're in the first week of summer now (finally) so the air is fuzzy and warm. I decide on a pair of high waisted denim shorts and a not-too-sheer black vest that I tuck in. I unwrap the towel from my hair and blow dry it, then I curl it slightly at the ends with my straightening irons. I clip one side of my hair back with a couple of hair pins and let the other side fall freely. I apply some make up - foundation, powder, mascara, and I even put on some black winged eyeliner, woah. I might as well make an effort seeing as it's the first time I've been 'properly out' for what Alice calls 'practically half of my life'. I find my watch and put it on my wrist along with my bracelet. It's silver and has a single crystal star shaped charm on it, my mom and dad got it for me when I was born and I've worn every day since I was about 16. Right now, living in England, it helps me to stay close to them, even though they are like 8 hours and a ridiculous amount of miles away in Washington. I pull on some socks and begin the search for my burgundy Vans. Just then, the door to my room flings open and Alice and Rose come charging in.

"Oh, come in, here let me get the door for you. Oh no wait, you just threw it off the hinges" I say sarcastically, I don't need to turn around to know that Alice is sticking her tongue out at me.

"We're your best friends, we've seen you naked" Rose retorts.

"True" I say, letting her win. "Aha" I sigh when I spot my other sneaker at the back of the wardrobe, under some random plastic carrier bags. I put the sneakers on and tie the laces. "Just let me grab my bag and then I'm ready to go."

"Wow, well done Bella, you actually look pretty hot" I blush at Alice's comment. I turn to see her sitting on the edge of my bed in a cute navy blue patterned play suit and sparkly ballet pumps.

"I bet your smug ass already knows that you look pretty fine yourself"

"I know" She says and shrugs.

"Urgh, come on you two, you're taking forever" Rosalie whines, stood in the doorway impatiently. She just exudes glamour and beauty. She's wearing a classic A-line dress that shows off her perfect legs and she has a thin brown belt that nips her in at the waist, accentuating her curves. She's got some simple cream sandals on and a brown leather throw-over-your-shoulder bag. Her hair is styled into loose Hollywood waves, like Kate Hudson. The tiny green monster inside me sometimes wants to punch her and fuck her gorgeous face up a little. Obviously I would never do that though. She looks a million dollars, not that it's anything new. I feel somewhat underdressed.

"Okay, okay, I'm just getting my purse!" I retrieve my black purse and stuff my wallet, keys and phone in then sling it over my shoulder. The base of it hangs low at the hem of my shorts so I can feel the fabric on my legs every time I move. That could get annoying.

"Finally" Rose says exasperated, rolling her eyes. We walk into the lounge where Ben and Angela are curled up on the couch watching a movie. Sometimes seeing them like that makes me want a boyfriend too. And then I get depressed because I'm lonely, which normally leads to a trip to the shop, a tub of Ben & Jerry's and family size bar of Cadbury's Dairy Milk. And then I snap out of it and realise that I could not deal with having to deprive myself in order to make time for a relationship.

"I'll see you later Ang, have a good night" I say as I head out the door, which Rosalie is already out of.

"Okay Bella, have fun" Angela smiles at me and Ben waves. I wave back and pull the door shut. Alice and Rose lead me to this new bar, obviously I've never heard of it, which is a few streets away in the middle of town. I'm glad I managed to find an apartment so close to town because all the walking lets me burn off the weight that I pile on in my moments of depression. Plus, I save a shit load of money not having to pay for transport.

The bar is already pretty full when we arrive. It's modern and contemporary. There are glass shelves behind the bar itself, displaying all the various liquors. Tall and small bottles all filled with liquids of every colour in the rainbow. There are black leather bar stools being occupied by other people who seem to be around my age, maybe a couple of years older. It looks like this bar is going to be popular with students. The tables are square and are black or white in colour, the stools and chairs are all upholstered in black leather, and the light fittings are made from glass, meaning they cast clear, fresh light across the large open room. Small flat screen TVs occupy a couple of the walls, playing the video that corresponds to the music streaming through the hidden speakers, it's just the right volume to still be able to talk comfortably. I see Nicki Minaj shaking her ass and I realise again why I never really come to bars or clubs – crap music. We head to the bar and wait to be served.

And that's when I see him.

My eyes follow a green strobe light that is beaming into the floor. As I follow it back up to the machine it's coming from, my eyes come into focus and grow ridiculously wide as I realise. Those sparkling jade orbs that I can picture so well are staring right back at me, burning into my soul.


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: All characters and rights belong to Stephenie Meyer.**

**A/N: First of all, I'm sorry that this is a little later than planned, I've been ill the past few days and just looking at my laptop screen has given me a migraine. Secondly, this chapter is Edward's POV. I have to admit, writing from a guy's perspective is harder than I thought! Please leave your thoughts on this and maybe I'll do some more chapters in EPOV if you like it :)**

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CHAPTER FOUR (EPOV)

_"A thing of beauty is a joy forever" - John Keats_

I walked into the office when I got to work. I took my coat off and threw my other shit on one of the red chairs in the office. I headed down the stairs into the main bar to start my shift. The bar is in full swing; like any other Friday night. As I start to serve some of the customers, I'm subconsciously aware that I have a lot of pairs of female eyes on me right now. I ignore it, I've gotten quite used to it. And don't call me an arrogant twat but I can see why they might want to stare. My shift is going relatively smoothly, no fights, a few complaints about the music but there isn't anything I can do about that. I've tried telling Carlisle that the music is shit but he won't do anything about it, I said we needed some live bands or something, he says that it's easier to use the music systems. I ended that conversation with my middle finger.

I wipe down the surface of the bar and restock the ice and some of the empty liquor bottles. I serve a tipsy blonde bimbo with obvious hair extensions, streaky fake tan and a hot pink super-mini mini dress. Why do girls think that it's attractive to look like a Barbie that got bitch slapped by a tangerine? I put the money in the till and turn back around to face the bar.

And that's when I see her.

There I was saying I'm not surprised girls are staring at me like I'm some fucking man-slag hotshot and then I see her and I turn into a fucking marshmallow who's knees are trembling like jelly.

It's crazy. I'm fucking crazy. Ever since that encounter in the supermarket a couple of weeks back, I haven't been able to get her face out of my mind. She drew me in with her sweet blush and warm smile and I was basically doomed from then on. I'm insane, I didn't and still don't even know the girl, yet I feel connected to her. I've never been a believer in fate and all that 'everything happens for a reason' crap. But right now I'm so glad that some psycho somewhere decided to align our stars, or that a bigger power has brought us to the same place; yes, I know I work here, but you get the idea. I'm astonished by her beauty, she's perfect and I am fully aware that I'm ogling her but I just don't give a shit.

She's even more beautiful than I remember. Her skin is glowing and she looks both adorable and sexy at the same time. Her chestnut brown hair is down, framing her creamy coloured face perfectly. One side is clipped back, opening up her complexion and giving me a hint of her flushed cheek. Her enticing chocolate eyes are wide open, edged with thick black lashes. She looks down as I walk over to her and who I assume to be her friends.

Someone very dramatically clears their throat and I tear my eyes away from my goddess. My goddess…that sounds so fucking good.

"Hello?" She drags the word out, sarcasm dripping from her voice "Can we get some drinks?" It was one of my goddess' friends that spoke.

"Er, yes, sorry" I shake my head and clear my throat "What can I get you?"

"I'll have a gin and tonic. Alice?" She looks towards the spiky haired girl.

"Um, a white wine spritzer please"

"Okay, and for you?" I turn to my goddess, it took all my power to speak a coherent sentence without stumbling. She makes me so nervous. I gave myself an internal high five. She looks up at me and blushes. That blush is very delectable.

"Can I, er, bacardi and coke please" her voice is like honey, sweet and warm, and she has a hint of an American accent, it's fucking sexy. Her blush deepens in colour and spreads across her exposed shoulders.

"Sure. Do you want ice?"

"Yes, please" the blonde girl replies,

"Er, yeah, for me too please" my goddess stumbles slightly over her words, so fucking cute. I retrieve two glasses from the overhead shelves and put some ice in them. I pour gin and tonic into one, put a slice of lime on the rim and place it on the bar counter. I make the bacardi and coke and the spritzer, give the spritzer to the black haired girl, who I assume is called Alice, and ask my goddess,

"Lemon or lime?" I shouldn't ask, you're supposed to have lime but I wanted to talk to her again. She just looks up at me with a blank expression on her face.

"Um, sorry?" Her blush rises again. Would it be okay if I just jumped her right here?

"Would you like lemon or lime in your drink?"

"Erm, lime please" My girl knows her drinks.

"Okay" I smile at her, place a wedge of lime on the rim of the glass and hand it over. Her hand grazes my fingers as she takes the drink and I feel a tingle of electricity run through me. It's so clichéd, all that electric, magnetic pull shit that romantic novelists spin into excellent tales. So why am I drawn to this woman as if my life depends on it. As if my life depends on _her_.

"Thanks" She smiles shyly at me, and I wonder idly if she felt the same bolt of electricity. I doubt it. I stare at her again for what seems like an eternity. Her eyes are so inviting, I want to learn about her, ask her a million and one questions, talk to her all night about crap that no one cares about. I could stare at her for the rest of my life and never get bored. She stares back at me, our eyes locked, like she knows what I'm thinking. The Alice girl interrupts our little staring competition saying,

"I'll get the first round, how much is it?" She looks at me expectantly and I realise that I'm still working. I unwillingly break away from my goddess' gaze and tap the touch screen on the till to put in the cost of the drinks.

"That's £9…69 please" I pick up my head from the gutter and chastise myself for the pause between 9 and 69. Alice hands over the money and I get her change.

"Thank you" She smiles at me, like she knows something. I just smile back and look at my girl again, who's looking at the ground with pink cheeks. I want to put my finger under her chin and tilt her head up so that I can see her gorgeous eyes again. Her friends turn around to go and find a table so she follows. I watch as her hips sway from side to side when she walks. Her ass looks exceptional in those shorts and this time I take no blame for the crude thoughts that fill my mind. She is so fucking beautiful.

I shake my head to gather my thoughts and stop my gazing. I have work to do and I will get fucking sleighed if it's not done, especially because my boss is also my father. Throughout the rest of my shift, I try to focus on the task in hand but I can't help myself and so every once in a while, I steal glances at my girl. I think my ears have tuned themselves to her voice because all I can hear is her. Over the music and the chatter, I hear her harmonious laugh or her cute giggle, and it sends my thoughts to the side of the road once again. The shift goes fairly quickly because of my distraction; in my mind, her brown eyes are watching me, I catch her and she blushes. It's like a fucking video, and all I want to do is repeat it for the rest of eternity.

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**A/N: You know what to do...review/favourite/follow if you like it!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters. They all come from Stephenie Meyer's dream.**

**A/N: I hope you enjoy this chapter! It's a bit longer than my previous chapters because I didn't know where to stop :'). If you like it, as always, review/alert/favourite...it would seriously make my day :). Oh and please don't kill me because of the end...**

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CHAPTER FIVE (BPOV)

_"I'm not a religious person, so I'm not a hardcore fate fan but I guess it's got me thinking about that" – Caroline Dhavernas_

I have felt his eyes on me all night. I am fighting with myself to not turn around and stare. Because if I did, I would no longer have the restraint to sit here and pretend like the focus of my dreams isn't less than 4 meters away. I'd tackle him, lock my lips to his and run my hands through his wild hair. Everyone in the bar would get a fucking rated R show for free and I wouldn't give a shit because I would be lost in him, in his arms, in his lips; that would be the only thing I could think about. So with great personal strength, I stay seated and try my damned hardest to avoid his gaze. It's not easy though, and when I need to go to the toilet, my plan crumbles significantly. Stupid mundane human needs.

"I'll be back in a minute" I say to Alice and Rose as I get up from my seat and grab my phone "watch my purse?"

"Sure B" They say in unison, it makes me giggle as I make my way to the bathroom.

The bathroom is just as modern as the rest of the bar, everything is clean cut; the sinks made of glass atop a glass counter, there are lights around the mirrors and the cubicle doors are shiny black. It surprisingly smells quite pleasant, like apples, fresh but with a slight sweetness. I do my business, wash my hands using some of the very expensive hand soap and exit. You can always tell how posh a place is by the quality of their toilets. Just as I close the bathroom door behind me, I bump into someone. Why am I so clumsy? My cheeks heat up with a blush that soon turns to intense fire when I look up and see who it is. I'm frozen, staring up at the most beautiful face less than ten centimeters from mine. I move my mouth to speak but no words want to escape my lips. I just stand there like a fucking goldfish that's suffocating and needs more air. My blush continues to blaze under my skin, stretching over my shoulders and down my neck to my chest. I'm all flustered, high on the electric current that's pulsing through my veins from being this close to the most perfect human being on earth. I can't do anything, just inhale his scent that smells familiar when it shouldn't. There's no way my brain is going to function any time soon so I stand there, unmoving, basking in his sexiness. And he probably thinks I'm a pissed goldfish that can't speak.

"Err, sorry" his silk voice breaks into my thoughts, only making them more heavenly than they already were. He clears his throat, waiting for me to say something.

"No, don't say sorry. I mean, no, erm, it was my fault, I wasn't looking where I was going" I ramble like an idiot. He chuckles. It's the most amazing, delightful sound.

"I wasn't looking either so does that mean I can take responsibility too?" His mouth turns up at one side into the most glorious crooked smile I have ever seen. Anyone else would look like a douche with half a smile but sex-on-legs pulls it off magnificently. Just when you thought he couldn't get sexier…

"Um, well it was me that walked into you so no, you can't" I tease him. I can just be myself with him. Fuck knows why, I don't even know him, yet he makes me feel comfortable.

"Well, hmm" He laughs a little, a smile lingering on his lips "can I buy you a drink to apologize " If I stopped breathing a few moments ago then I sure as hell have passed out now. What the fuck did he just say? Did I hear him right? The fucking sex god wants to buy me a drink? There are only two possibilities as to how this situation has occurred;

Possibility one: I am in heaven. The best heaven ever known to mankind, floating on the fluffy white clouds and wearing Grecian robes with gold halos. Maybe.

Possibility two: I have passed out. The green eyes I see now are purely a picture pulled up from my memory in my time of need. Probably.

It takes me all of 30 seconds to figure out that I fainted and dreamt up his offer, there's no way in hell that he'd ask such a ques…

"So can I buy you a drink or not? Come on don't leave me hanging, you're wounding my ego" He winks at me…fucking winks. Holy shit. He did ask and he's serious. Fuck me; I am the luckiest girl in the world right about now.

"Shit, err, yes, of course you can" I look at him incredulously, why the fuck would I refuse?

"Good" He sounds relieved but then he doesn't say anything else, so I stand there awkwardly, do I walk away? Do I _want_ to walk away? Truthfully, no. I'd rather stay here all night and watch his beautiful face play with emotions I can't read. So I stand there and watch his beautiful face. His eyes are mesmerizing turning me to mush. I'm still wondering why the hell he'd want to buy me a drink. He could have any girl in this freaking bar. Hell, he could have any girl in the freaking world! Maybe he just wants an easy lay, apparently I look like I could give a good fuck and I'm easy enough to get. I should not have thought of that. My mind goes back to the rated R version and all I can think about is how good he is in bed. He's probably amazing, like his appearance and his voice. If his arms are anything to go by, he takes good care of himself, but he's not overly muscly, not like a gym freak or anything. Maybe it's because I'm a girl, or maybe it's because I've not had sex for a while, but I just want to rip his shirt off and see his toned abs. It's been forever since any of us has said anything, I'm still waiting for him to say something. I don't have the self-will to draw my mind back to the real world.

.

.

.

"Come with me?" He's still staring into my eyes. I nod, unable to form any verbal communication right now. He takes my hand and I don't even think about it, I follow him straight away, completely trusting him. What happened to all the murderers and paedophiles?

He leads me towards a black door in the corner of the bar and opens it with a key which he fishes out of his jeans pocket. He holds the door open for me so I go through and make my way up the black carpeted stairs. When I reach the top, I'm greeted by a small hallway that has dim strip lights attached to the walls. There are a couple of paintings of a little town and a grand castle set in some hills, both are in black and white. There are also some signed discs and pictures, I'm guessing they are famous people but my knowledge of legends doesn't stretch much farther than Elvis Presley and Cher.

I feel his hand on my arm and I swivel round at the contact so that I am now facing him. His skin on my skin is the most exquisite feeling I have ever experienced.

"I'm Edward by the way. I forgot to introduce myself to you" He smiles like a little boy and he cheeks get a little pinker. He's so cute.

"Hi Edward, I'm Bella" I smile and then, because I'm awkward, I don't have anything to follow that up with so again, I just stand like a lemon and look into his jade greens.

"Bella is a beautiful name, pardon the pun" Edward chuckles and I just laugh, like a horse on crack, because that was one super cheesy pun. That and the fact that I am nervous so I just laugh at everything. Edward pulls another key from his pocket and opens the only door in the corridor, pushing it wide and stepping aside so I can enter first.

From the first glances I take, I am now in the office. I guess that from the big oak desk and high backed leather chair that sit on one side of the room. There is a Mac on top of the desk with a few pens and papers scattered around. The wall behind the desk is covered in bookshelves, paintings and photographs. All randomly placed but somehow looking like it was taken straight from a high end home magazine. The other side has a red square shaped leather chair and a matching couch that sits against the back wall. There is a glass coffee table in front of the couch with a glass vase full of flowers.

"Erm, this is the office, I'm the co-manager and Carlisle runs this place. Carlisle is my father. After I graduated from uni, I applied for the job and I got it" Edward says from behind me. I turn to look at him and he's smiling but I don't know why.

"What did you study?" I ask.

"I did a joint Business admin and English degree"

"You're a geek like me then? I do English and French"

"Did you just call me a geek?" He pretends to be offended.

I shake my head at him "No". I make feign innocence but back away cautiously just in case.

"You did, you little liar!" He says and jumps for me. I let out a little shriek and run behind the couch for safety. Edward stalks towards me, arms out like he's about to catch a mountain lion or something. I'm breathing hard, obviously exerting myself from running the mere two meters from where I was in the middle of the room to my current fort of protection. I stay where I am and watch a smirk playing across his face.

He continues to walk over, looking into my eyes, challenging me to make the first move. I don't, though. A small part of me actually wants him to come over. So I stare back and tilt my head to challenge him instead. No one puts me in a corner and gets away with it. In one quick movement, which my mind is trying to recover from, Edward has me backed up against the side of the room with both hands braced against the wall on either side of my head. Well this is it, I'm either about to get murdered or something amazing is going to happen. Worth it either way.

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**A/N: Thank you for reading! Maybe some lemons are on the way...? ;D**


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: Stephenie owns the characters of Twilight. And we love her for inventing them.**

**A/N: How the hell did I get all the way to chapter number six already?! Anyway, thank you for sticking with me if you're even bothering to read this and as always, I would be so extremely happy if you reviewed and favourited and all that jazz. Also *warning* there may be some citrus in this :O**

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CHAPTER SIX (BPOV)

_"One day you will kiss a man you can't breathe without, and find that breath is of little consequence" – Karen Marie Moning, Bloodfever_

Staring. Staring. Staring. I'm still staring into his eyes and his greens are still staring right back into my browns. I don't know how long we have been stood like this but his lips are enticingly close to my face. Edward has his head tilted down towards mine so that our faces are level. His arms are still on the wall and they feel like they are encompassing my whole body, trapping me to the hard brick. Like I would move anyway.

"Bella" Edward whispers, if it wasn't for the heightened tension and complete silence, I may not have heard him. He brings his right hand up to my face and runs his fingers along my cheekbone, he then cups side of my face and strokes his thumb across my cheek. I think I might just combust right now from the contact. It feels like a thousand butterflies have just been let loose in my belly. I can feel that sensation in between my thighs area again…the tingling that has escaped me for so long.

Edward's eyes have deepened. They are no longer a sparkling jade, they're now an intense scorching emerald, reducing me to a whimpering mess. He continues stroking my cheek with his thumb – which, by the way, is not rough but smooth and soft – keeping a steady pace, unlike my irrational breathing. I tip my head back the tiniest bit so I can see directly into his soul. I can see something there, the reason why his eyes are a shade darker, the reason why my body is on fire, the reason why there is so much tension between us. I see lust. Then I do something, something so far beyond what I would normally do. I stretch onto my tip toes and press my lips to his. Little fireworks explode when we connect and I worry that my lips might sizzle into nothing. That thought only lasts for 0.003 seconds because I like how the fireworks feel. It feels like the 4th July just happened, only a lot more condensed. All the happiness and celebration and joy – and I bet Nicki Minaj is in there somewhere shaking her butt. Edward leans into me, pushing me hard against the wall and holding me in place with his body. His hands now rest on either side of my face and he deepens the kiss, opening his mouth and inviting me in. I accept the invitation and our tongues swirl and mix, dancing a well-choreographed tango.

I find myself lying on the couch with Edward's body pressing down on top of mine. Our hands roaming, learning our way around each other's body. Edward's arms are strong and like I thought, he has a toned chest. The muscles on his back feel so good through his shirt and his hair is just as soft as it feels. The kisses and touches are getting more and more heated. Edward thrusts his hips into mine.

"Stop" I murmur. What the fuck are you thinking Bella? Why the hell did you just say that? Edward stops and moves away from me, like the gentleman that he is. I say sorry with my eyes and it looks like he understands. He dips his head and stares at the ground. I wish he would look at me and tell me that I've not just blown my chances with this man. But I also think that if he really liked me, he should respect my wishes. I'm not some whore who fucks for fun.

"Edward, look at me please" I can't stand it any longer. It's killing me not knowing what he thinks. He doesn't move his head. He's sat on the edge of the couch with his hands in his hair and his elbows on his knees. I shuffle next to him and pull his face up with my finger. He diverts his eyes and looks everywhere but at me.

"Edward" I try my best to use a stern voice. It seems to work though because he eventually looks at my face.

"Bella, I'm so sorry" What? Why is he apologising?

"Don't say sorry. You have nothing to be sorry about"

"I do, I shouldn't have forced myself on you like that" I have to admit, I'm relieved to know that he feels bad for just thrusting himself into me.

"Trust me, you don't need to be sorry. I liked it" I blush at my own admission. Edward chuckles but then his face switches from happy to serious faster than I can eat Cadbury's chocolate. And trust me, that's fast.

"Bella, I want to get to know you" His voice is barely louder than a whisper and he looks like a kid asking for a bike from Santa Claus. He's so cute when he's being all shy like this. And then the realisation hits me of what he is actually saying. He's saying he wants to know me better, which has got to mean that he likes a little bit. Right? My subconscious is dancing the Macarena she's that happy. Then the cynical hermit-like Bella on my left shoulder speaks up and plants fear in my brain. What if he is just saying that because he thinks that's what I want to hear and that I'll have sex with him now? The go-for-it grizzly bear on my right shoulder tells to follow my lustful instincts. The reassurance from the grizzly gives me all the encouragement I need. Besides, a bear could squash a hermit crab any day.

"I would like that" I say. No turning back now. "Looks like the bear won"

"What?" Edward stares at me with a very confused expression on his face. Dammit, did I just say that out loud? Oh well done Bella, you didn't just fuck that up. He's probably dialling the mental institute to come and get me as soon as possible.

"It doesn't matter. It was nothing. It wasn't important" My cheeks glow with a blush that is creeping up my face.

"Tell me" He has a smirk playing on his lips.

"No" I shake my head but I'm smiling.

"Okay, tell me over dinner on Tuesday" Edward's eyes are sparkling. Of course, when he says this my ability to verbally communicate vanishes. I can't even begin to explain the effect that this man has on me. It's like he paralyses my brain because he's so damn gorgeous.

"Bella, can I take you out for dinner on Tuesday? At say, eight o'clock?" He's such a gentleman, asking me properly and everything. Perhaps this what English guys do. Though maybe he's just rephrasing himself because he thinks I'm crazy and I can't understand him. Either way, I'm squealing with excitement.

"Mmm-hmm" It's all I can manage to say. I nod my head, maybe a bit too frantically, to make sure he understands. Edward's face breaks into a stunning smile. I never really looked at his teeth properly before but I notice now that he could probably be in advert for toothpaste his teeth are that white. Is there anything where this man isn't perfect? I lean in to kiss him because I'm going on a date with Edward. Edward, god of all sex gods. Edward, emperor of green eyes. Edward, king of all things beautiful. Edward. I'm dancing internally again.

Edward moves his face closer to mine and I smile as our lips meet for the second time.

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**A/N: Got a bit cheesy at the end there guys, didn't it? Who like stilton? Hahahahahaha :'D**

**Love Emily x**


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight or the characters in this story.**

**A/N: Please don't gather your pitchforks and hunt me down for not updating since like November but I have exams this month and I've just been crazy busy revising and working :( Anyway, I promise I'm going to try get back to regular updating after my exams but just be patient – please? I love you guys!**

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CHAPTER SEVEN (BPOV)

_"A friend is someone who knows all about you and still loves you" – Elbert Hubbard_

I have been beside myself with excitement since Friday night. It's now Tuesday and tomorrow night I am going on a date with the hottest man on earth. Or on any other planet for that matter. I've tried not to think about exactly why he wants to take me out. But there's always that pessimist in me that thinks negatively about everything. I have tried to reason with myself, I'm not the ugliest person that ever lived. Just the second ugliest. Anyway, Edward seemed interested in me - he definitely didn't want to stop kissing me if that's any indication.

After we had reluctantly pulled ourselves away from each other, I checked my phone and realised that I had a million and one missed calls from Alice and Rose. I rang them back and found out that they had been tempted to call the police and report me missing. Jesus. I hadn't even thought about how worried they would be. I apologised profoundly and said I would make it up to them. I haven't decided what to do yet but part of my payback begins tonight. Alice is forcing me to go shopping with her to get clothes for tomorrow. I'll need a vodka shot before I go. I make a mental note to visit Asda after work.

A customer comes in then and I'm pulled out of my daydreams by the chimes above the door. I work in a local book shop that has old latticed windows and a wood sign outside where "Cover to Cover" has been worn away by the weather. Yes, it's been here that long, probably before dinosaurs. I love this place though. Cover to Cover is a family run business. I've spent hours listening to Esme tell me about how the shop started. It used to sell only used books but as the business grew, Esme began to sell new books alongside the used ones. I've only been working here a few months but already it feels like a little family. Esme is like my adopted English grandma, she's helped me so much.

The customer buys a used copy of Sense and Sensibility and a cute bookmark that has a beautiful quote on it. At the end of my shift I head back home and remember just as I begin to climb the steps that I need to get vodka. _Need_. I turn back down the steps and begin down the street to the convenience sized Asda at the gas station.

They only stock the small 250ml bottles. I huff and puff but buy it anyway. I buy chocolate as well because who can resist a 3 for 2 offer? Not me. Once I get home, I pour myself a drink in a coffee mug because there are no clean glasses. Yep, uni life is so glamorous. I relax for literally 2 minutes because as soon as I open the dairy milk chocolate wrapper, I get a knock on the door. It's Alice, obviously.

"Bella, you ready to go?" Either she's on drugs or she just ate a too many blue Smarties because she is so hyped.

"Well I was just about to indulge in some chocolate but you've interrupted now anyway so I guess I am" I stick my tongue out at her.

"Bring it with you! Come on, the taxi is waiting outside."

I get my bag, shove my feet into my converse and grab the chocolate bar. The taxi driver is one of those weirdo men that my dad has warned me about since I was about 12 and old enough to walk home on my own. He tells me his name is 'Larry' and that he's been a cabby for over 10 years. I raise my eyebrows and nod because how am I supposed to interact with a paedophile? He grins at me and his teeth are all blackened and rotted. I swallow down some sick. Remember when I said I was the second ugliest person on earth? Yeah. I think about advising him on how to brush your teeth but I don't want this to turn into a dental hygiene car ride and I certainly don't want him to ask me to demonstrate.

Alice and I huddle on the back seat together, maybe Larry will think we're gay and leave us alone. Doubt it. We survive the ride, pay the cab fare and scramble out as quickly as possible. We head into the big shopping centre and I stop walking because I'm totally not a shopping person and there are too many friggin' shops in this place. Alice sighs and grabs my hand.

"Let's go then, we haven't got a lot of time, it's already half three and the shops close at eight!" My hand nearly gets tugged away from my wrist as she drags me to the first shop. For someone so small, she's actually quite strong.

Alice whisks me around the whole shop in less than 10 minutes. She holds up dresses and tops, jeans and jumpers, skirts and jackets and picks up multiple sizes of every item, she grabs bags and jewellery off the stands and eventually I find myself in a changing room with an excited Alice looking at me expectantly.

"Do I need to dress you as well as pick out your clothes?" She asks sarcastically, rolling her eyes.

"No, I can dress myself" She leaves the cubicle and closes the curtain behind her. I strip down to my underwear and Alice hands me the first outfit. It's a structured peplum black dress and a massive gold tribal necklace, even Mr T would be proud of that thing. I put it all on and pull the curtain back to show Alice.

"Mmm, I like that one but maybe with a big clutch bag. Try the next one on first, I might change my mind"

"Yes, your majesty" I nod solemnly and take the next outfit out of her hands. I take the dress off and hand it back out to Alice with necklace. I now have a different dress on but this one is a corally-orange colour and has an A-line skirt. I step out into the dragon's den.

Alice nods, "Oooh, maybe with a belt!" She rummages in her pile of clothes and pulls out a matte black belt. She puts it on for me and instructs me to turn around. "This is definitely a keeper. Next" She claps her hands as if she is impatient so I go back in the changing room and try on another outfit. This carries on until I have tried on every single thing. Apart from the mini skirt she gave me, no way in hell am I wearing a mini skirt. We go into about 10 more shops and find nothing that we both like and can agree on. The last shop is a department store with 5 floors.

"Please can we get something to eat?" I beg. I'd get on my knees if this weren't such a public place. "It's almost 7, pleasepleaseplease?" I flutter my eyelashes.

"Okay but we have to be quick, no more than half an hour"

"Urgh, you're so bossy" Alice just laughs and we head over to this little restaurant that apparently sells, and I quote, "the best burgers EVER". Alice's words, not mine; I've never been here before. Obviously we both get a burger but I get mine with cheese and bacon. It's gone in less than 7 minutes. Alice wasn't joking when she said they were the best. They are fucking amazing. Definitely coming back here again.

After we finish and pay, we head back over to the department store and go up the escalators to the first floor where all the clothes are. I try on everything in the store and Alice gives me accessories to try on with the clothes. I'm getting tired of looking. I'll just wear something I already have. I try on another outfit, this time it's a forest green skater skirt and a cream sleeveless shirt that I am told by Alice to tuck in. I step around the curtain and spin for her. She's grinning at me like the Cheshire cat and I can't help but smile too. I actually like this outfit.

"That's the one"

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**A/N: Thank you for sticking with me and reading this chapter. I would really appreciate it if you left reviews and let me know how you're finding the story so far, would you like some chapters from different POV's? Is the story moving along too slowly? Any feedback you have would help me so much :)**

**Love Emily x**


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer: Obviously Stephenie owns the characters; I just like to write about them in my world.**

**A/N: Sorry sorry sorry for being so crap at writing fanfics and not updating for so long. However - Good news: I've done all of my exams! Bad news: I've started my coursework :(. But I did finish reading Dusty the other day and all I can say is WOW. If you haven't read it yet, then go and read it, it's seriously amazing.**

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CHPATER EIGHT (BPOV)

_"I keep fidgeting, crossing one leg and then the other. I feel like I could throw off sparks, or break a window - maybe rearrange all the furniture." – Raymond Carver, Where I'm Calling From_

Alice and I both turned around at the same time. But while Alice was smiling widely, I was picking my jaw up off the floor. I was in that much shock. Why was Alice smiling and what the fuck was Esme doing here? She's like fifty. Not that I'm making any kind of judgement about what fifty year olds should be doing. Esme breaks the silence first by saying;

"Oh, hello there girls" She's smiling and blushing a little but is it just me or does she look cautious?

"Hi Esme. We were just shopping for an outfit for Bella" Alice says. How the hell does Alice know Esme? I know I've talked about Esme with Alice but never enough for Alice to know what Esme looks like and therefore know Esme personally. Alice will be getting some serious interrogation when Esme has left.

Esme doesn't say anything in response to Alice so I bite the bullet and ask why she's here. Because let's face it, it's what everyone (me) wanted to know.

"Oh, er, just looking around, you know" She replies. Her eyes won't stay focused in one place and if my dad ever taught me anything, it's that people's eyes can't stay still when they are lying. I don't know why but I'm getting suspicious of Esme, maybe it's just the result of being a police chief's daughter. My mind has started thinking like a spy, inventing ulterior motives why she might be here. Is she on a secret mission? Has she been assigned to spy on me? Is she investigating the latest fashion trends? Is she part of an experiment where fifty year olds go shopping late at night?

We all just stay stood, me in the shop's clothes, Alice smiling with a pair of glittery heels in her hand and Esme at the entrance to the fitting rooms in her usual jeans-and-cardigan combo.

"I'm gonna get my clothes back on…" I swivel on my heels and pull the curtain back. When I step back out with the clothes in my hand, Esme has gone and it's just Alice left.

"How do you know Esme?" I was never one for subtlety.

"Oh, err, I met her at this party thing one time. Anyway, come on, we need to pay for those before the shop shuts!" She starts tugging at my arm, she really is like a child sometimes. And then she talks about sex and it's like 'wooaaahhhhh, you're actually a grown up'.

We head over to the pay desk. I tell my brain to stop conjuring up plans and conspiracy theories on how Alice and Esme met. I'm forgetting all about that and concentrating on the date I have tomorrow night. A happy dance ensues in my heads when I think about what will happen tomorrow. Once I've paid for the clothes, Alice and I walk back through the department store and the shopping centre. It's dark outside and completely empty inside. Alice rings for a taxi and we wait on the pavement for it to arrive.

"You have to ring me as soon as you have finished whatever you are doing tomorrow night, no excuses" She's bossy sometimes.

"Okay Alice, I will do. But don't be ringing me 24/7, I don't want Edward thinking weird things about me"

"What weird things could he possibly think of?"

"Oh, I don't know, maybe that I have an overprotective mother or that I have a stalker best friend or that I'm in tons of debt and the debt collector is harassing me to pay up"

"You're strange"

"Gee, thanks Al. You aren't too normal either, you know"

We carry on like that for well over 10 minutes. Best friends are awesome. I really love Alice. The taxi arrives – eventually. We hop in the back seat again and direct the guy back to my place. How come all taxi drivers seem to be male? I have never once in my life ever seen a female driver. Not even in America, and that's the land of the crazy. I mean we have churches where you can get married by Elvis. If you think that is normal then you are not. Larry is driving again. Fuck, Alice, why did you call the same taxi company? He's gonna know where I live, he's been there twice in one night. What if he starts stalking me? What if he sneaks in my house at night and stands over me while I'm sleeping and does naughty things? Oh good God. I cling to Alice the whole way back and she does the same. We make it back to my apartment alive and Alice gets out the taxi with me. Larry waves 'bye' with a smile – if that's what you can call it – on his face.

I invite Alice in and tell her to stay the night, she might as well. Angela is staying at Ben's house so the apartment is free and I'm sure Angela won't mind me sleeping in her bed. I'll even change the sheets for her when Alice has gone. I'm glad me and Angela are close enough friends to be able to do that because some people are like arch rivals with their housemates.

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I wake up and stumble, eyes half closed, into the kitchen to get coffee. No human can function without coffee in the morning. I'm on the border between human and animal. Half human, half elephant. So I definitely need coffee, in excessive amounts. Alice is already up and dressed. She's stood at the stove with a spatula in her hand and eggs and bacon in a frying pan. Of course.

"Good morning!" She's so cheerful. I don't think she's human either. No one should be this cheerful in the morning.

"Urgh" Is all I can manage. When I said I needed coffee, I wasn't joking. Once I've perked up a bit, thanks to Alice and her brewing skills, I eat the breakfast she has so kindly made.

"Alice, where did you learn to cook like this? This is amazing!" I bite off another piece of toast.

"Oh come on! It's only eggs and bacon, anyone can make that"

"They can't, my dad can't even make a ready meal in the microwave"

"Yeah, well, Charlie is the exception" She laughs at her joke but I laugh along too, because she's right. I eat breakfast and swallow my cup of coffee in two mouthfuls. Not the cup as well as the coffee, I'm not that strange. Alice has to leave to go to work so I give her a hug and say bye.

"Promise you will ring me if anything goes wrong or you need saving or you cut your finger off and you need someone to come get you" Alice says.

"Okay, I will, but I'm sure Edward would help me if I cut my finger off"

"You could do it will he's in the bathroom, and then who helps you?"

"Um, the waiter?"

"Oh yeah, hadn't thought about that" I laugh, she's so blonde sometimes. She doesn't even have blonde hair but you know what I mean.

"I'll see you tomorrow?"

"Yes. We'll go for a Starbucks. I'll see if Rosalie can come too" She smiles and waves then heads over to the door. "Oh and send me a picture of your outfit before you leave!" I shake my head, smiling because she's so obsessed, as I hear the door click shut behind her.

Esme let me move my shift at work so that I have the whole day to prepare. Yes, I need a whole freaking day. Perfection doesn't happen with a click of my fingers. I watch some pointless TV for a while, still in my pyjamas with my hair sticking out in a thousand different directions. I pull myself up from the couch when another episode of Jeremy Kyle comes on. There's only so much shit TV a person can watch. I jump in the shower after brushing my teeth. Is it gross that I didn't brush them right after I finished eating? Meh, no one is here to see my dilapidated state anyway. Once in the shower, I do all the usual things a normal human would do, wash my hair, scrub my body with some soap, stand there for a while and think about the world, sing half a song because I can't remember the rest. I also shave my legs and my lady garden because who keeps up to date with all that when you're single and not getting laid? My armpits are already shaven because I did it yesterday. Nice. One point to Bella for being prepared. I turn off the water and get out. Body butter gets slapped all over my body and my wet hair gets thrown in a towel. Dripping my way to my room, I grab a bigger towel from the basket of clean washing because I forgot to get one before I went in the bathroom. Rooky mistake.

Deciding what to wear is not an issue so I grab some under garments, put them on and dock my iPod. Everyone needs music to get ready to. I dry my hair and turn my straighteners on to heat up. I dance to one of the songs that just came on, nearly falling over my shoes. I hear the beep that tells me the straighteners are ready and I curl my hair into loose waves. I have no idea what the back looks like but the front looks okay. I apply some make-up, adding some neutral eye shadow and winged eyeliner. Once I'm satisfied with my face, which will be never but anyway, I put my new clothes on and tuck the shirt in as instructed by the fashion student. Alice gave me a black belt with a gold buckle so I put that on too. I find my black flats and add those to my outfit. I think it's best I don't wear heels because I'll only end up hospital. I get my bag and put all my shit inside it and then I'm ready.

I look at my watch and find I have 25 minutes to kill before I need to leave. Great. I don't know what to do now. Normally, I'd be rushing to get ready on time but that would be because I wasn't really too bothered about what I looked like. It's different tonight though. I actually want to look nice. I want to impress Edward, as cheesy as it sounds. I don't dare risk doing anything so I literally stand in the middle of the front room until it's time to leave. I give myself a pep talk, going through answers to all the usual questions. I don't want to be a goldfish again. I call the taxi to take me to the restaurant. I specifically don't call the taxi company where Larry works. Don't need him staring at me for the whole journey, especially because I'll be on my own this time. I shudder at the thought.

The taxi pulls up outside Bella Italia. I feel the butterflies and excitement rise in the bottom of stomach. I'm actually doing this, going on a date with Edward. I pay the fare and get out. I watch as the taxi drives away and suddenly I feel sick. Not just a little queasy but physically sick like I might throw up in the bin on the other side of the parking lot. My sickness turns to fear when I realise that Edward could have stood me up. Okay, this is not good, calm the hell down. I stay outside in the breeze for a few minutes practicing my breathing. In through the nose, out through the mouth. In through the nose, out through the mouth. When I'm breathing at a normal pace, I tell myself to man up and just go. So I do. I walk confidently over to the door of the restaurant, pull it open and walk inside. My eyes scan the room. I don't see him. Fuck. My skin grows cold. My resolve crumbles.

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**A/N: Please follow so you get updates whenever I post a new chapter, favourite if you like the story and tell me thoughts! Send my a PM or leave a review :) **

**Love Emily x**


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything to do with Twilight. All rights belong to Stephenie Meyer.**

**A/N: So who enjoyed the last chapter? A minor cliffie at the end but I'm sure you could handle it. It's been over a month since I last updated and I'm truly sorry. I want to say a massive thank you to those of you who have stuck with me, I really appreciate it.**

**A quick message to say that I'm just going to be updating as and when I can, no promises for a new chapter every week (although I will try). But don't worry about missing a chapter because Fanfic have this awesome thing where you can follow the story and you will get a little email when I update ;).**

**This chapter is EPOV and I'm thinking that I might do every fourth chapter from Edward's perspective. What do you guys think?**

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CHAPTER NINE (EPOV)

_"Better three hours too soon than a minute too late" – William Shakespeare_

Shit. I curse out loud. I just dropped a glass and sliced my fucking finger open. Why am I so clumsy lately? I can't concentrate on anything, my mind can't focus and my imagination runs laps around my head. Each and every scenario my brain can come up with has one thing in common. I wear the same bloody clothes in all of them. I'm also always with Bella. She's always there. Looking fucking beautiful and delicious and I just need her. She haunts my every waking hour and I don't even get release when I sleep because she's there too. As soon as I close my eyes, I see her chocolate browns staring back at me, seducing me with their divine colour and magnetic gaze. It may sound like I'm complaining but I'm not. Well, maybe I am just a little. I'm tired of seeing dream Bella, I want the real Bella. I want to hold her again like I did the last time.

"Edward!" the stern voice of my father interrupts my daydreaming and I turn to find him standing behind me with a clipboard in his hand.

"Jesus fucking Christ, you yelled that right down my ear" Carlisle just looks at me, ignores what I said and carries on with what he was saying.

"Why is there a broken glass on the floor?" Oh for heaven's sake. See what I mean about forgetful? I remember about my finger and the blood that's currently pouring from the open wound. I hold my hand up in explanation. Dad lets me go early from my shift so I can get my finger sorted out. I tell him I'll do over time on Wednesday.

The rest of my day goes smoothly, no more cuts and broken glass. I go to my parent's house for dinner because it's a Sunday and that's what we always do. Garret sits next to me with Mum and Dad on the other side of the table. Esme owns and manages her own little book shop on the high street and Carlisle is my boss. It's weird working with your dad sometimes.

As always, we discuss what happened in our lives this week. Garret got his results back from his uni coursework, he got almost full marks. Show off. Mum, Dad and Garret all talk about this party they went to the other night, I was working so couldn't make it but it seems they had a good time. I wasn't really paying too much attention to what they had to say. When dinner is over, I excuse myself and go home. My flat is dark and cold when I arrive so I literally head straight to bed. I grab my laptop and watch some YouTube videos while I lounge in bed with a pair of joggers on. I watch about 30 more Harlem Shake videos. I'm still not sick of them. I think about getting some friends to make one with me. And then I think about Bella and what it would be like to watch her thrust in my face. And then I get hard. I head to the shower and resolve my…problem. When I'm getting so tired that my eyes won't stay open, I shut down the laptop and lie down in bed. I'm greeted by sleep and images of Bella.

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The start of the week goes slowly. I work and study a little bit for my business Master's degree. Yeah, I decided to go back to uni and get a Master's. Wednesday comes and I cannot be arsed with work. I have a lot of coursework that I could be doing but no, I have to serve the mid-afternoon drinkers who are probably secret alcoholics but won't admit it. Who drinks gin and brandy on their own at three in the afternoon anyway?

"Hey, Edward?" I turn to see Carlisle looking at me. He has an apologetic look on his face. Not something you see every day.

"Yeah?"

"Do you have anything on tonight? I was hoping you would be able to work an extra hour?" I scan through my mind and figure I don't have anything planned for later.

"Sure, why?" Curiosity got the best of me.

"Carmen has been held up and she can't make it until 8 tonight" With that Carlisle heads back up to the office and I don't see him until he leaves at six.

Work goes smoothly, only a few customers coming and going with the alcoholics staying where they are and getting refills. Sam comes in for his shift while I'm drying off some glasses that have been washed. We say hi and Sam asks me if I want to go for a drink after work. I say okay, nothing else is happening. The bar gets a little busier which puts an end to our conversation. Once the flood of customers has died down, I start day dreaming about Bella again. I think about what we will talk about the next time we meet. I can't wait to see her. And that's when I remember. Fuck fuck fuck. I forgot all about our date tonight. Oh fucking fuck fuck, what type of shit person forgets about a date with the most beautiful girl on earth? I'm fucking screwed. Crap. We're supposed to meet at 8. I'm supposed to be there in 10 minutes. Fuck my life. It takes at least 20 minutes to get to the restaurant.

"Sam, I need to go. Carmen will be here in ten minutes but I need to run. Can you hold the fort until then?" My words come out in a jumbled chaos but I think Sam got the sense of my urgency.

"Err, okay, are we still on for drinks later?"

"No, sorry mate. I really need to go" I take the stairs up to the office two at a time, fly through the door, grab my stuff and leg it to my Volvo. I break all the speed limits as I head into town. Running several red lights and nearly crashing into some road works. I take as many fucking short cuts as I can think of and finally I see the sign ahead. 'Bella Italia' is written in bright red lights. Like a fucking warning sign that my life is over. I literally dump the car in the closest space I can find. It will probably get towed but that's the least of my worries right now. I check the time. Shit, it's already seven minutes past 8. I dive out the car, slamming the door behind me. I run into the restaurant and scan my eyes, searching for Bella's beautiful face. I run my hands through my hair in frustration. How could I be so god damn stupid and forget about tonight. The one chance I had to show Bella that I didn't just want to get into her pants. That I actually wanted to get to know her, and I fucking blew it. I hate myself. I turn my back to the restaurant and head out to my car. I need a stiff whiskey and a follow up vodka shot. I head back over to my car and the chilled evening air gives me time to cool down. I pull out my phone to ring Bella but movement in my peripheral vision causes me to turn my head in its direction. My heart starts palpitating like crazy when my eyes eventually focus on what it is.

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**A/N: What or who do you think it is? Leave a review and tell me what you think will happen. I promise to reply to all the reviews. You can also send me a PM if that kinda thing floats your boat. I'm on all the social sites, links are on my author's page, so if you ever want to chat to me then I will always be available on one of them.**

**I love you guys,**

**Emily x**


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